Longhorns Insider: Kabongo's return just a tad too late

Updated 1:14 am, Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Accepting impermissible benefits cost Myck Kabongo the first 23 games of Texas' season.

Accepting impermissible benefits cost Myck Kabongo the first 23 games of Texas' season.

Longhorns Insider: Kabongo's return just a tad too late

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AUSTIN — Rick Barnes knows he should focus on what might be. But he doesn't deny he still catches himself thinking about what could have been.

What would have happened in Hawaii in November if he had someone capable of creating a decent shot? What would have happened at Reliant Stadium in December if he had someone capable of merely holding onto the ball?

What would have happened against Kansas if Texas' point guard was just a little less prone to being rattled? What would have happened at Oklahoma and at West Virginia if the Longhorns' best leader had been there and not back at home?

What might have been if UT had Myck Kabongo all season?

“In my mind,” Barnes said, smiling, “there's no doubt we'd be 23-0.”

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But as Kabongo prepares to finally make his season debut tonight against Iowa State, the Longhorns are nowhere close to undefeated. In at least some part due to playing 3½ months without their most important player and best NBA prospect, they're 10-13 and essentially finished before Kabongo even starts.

Barring an 8-0 finish to the regular season or an unlikely run through the Big 12 tournament next month, UT will miss the NCAA tournament for the first time in 15 years. And even if Barnes was joking about exactly how good the Longhorns could have been with Kabongo, it's become evident that his prolonged absence doomed their season.

His punishment stemmed from a trip to Cleveland, of all places. After a lengthy investigation, the NCAA ruled the sophomore point guard received about $475 in impermissible benefits, including an airplane ticket and a session with a private trainer.

The NCAA said the harshness of Kabongo's penalty — a season-long suspension that was lowered to 23 games upon appeal — was because he was not truthful with UT officials when initially questioned about the trip.

Kabongo, who averaged 9.6 points and 5.2 assists per game as a freshman, has not been made available for interviews by UT but said in a statement he “did not intend to break any rules and did not believe (he) had broken any.”

Kabongo said he was truthful with the NCAA, which the governing body did not dispute. And although Barnes stopped short of criticizing the NCAA's decision, he's made it clear he's been frustrated by the process.

“Do I think he was done wrong?” Barnes said. “I think a lot of things could have been handled differently.

“I do know in college athletics there are a lot of things that go on that are worse than what Myck lost three-quarters of a season for.”

The Longhorns dearly missed him. Even if he didn't live up to his reputation as a first-round NBA draft talent, Kabongo would have filled the biggest void on what is statistically the nation's most inexperienced team.

When UT struggled this season — and it has struggled a lot — it usually was because overworked and often overmatched freshman point guard Javan Felix couldn't get the Longhorns into any semblance of an offense. Felix showed bursts of promise but was not prepared to play 35 minutes per game.

And in crucial late-game situations against USC, UCLA, Baylor, West Virginia (twice), Kansas and OU, UT looked completely lost. Beginning tonight, Kabongo has an opportunity to change that dynamic.

“We're going to find out if one guy makes that big of a difference,” Barnes said.